Stabilizer Bars - Do they worth the money?

[Fallguz]

I don't have much AE86 suspension experience so far, but plenty with my other car. (S14)

I'd mainly like to back up the thoughts posted here already - In my opinion roll bars are an essential modification for the S14. The hachi has less weight, I don't know how much that comes into calculation there.

As mentioned before, I think a 'balanced' suspension setup should include thicker stabilizer bars because a balanced setup should, imo, have SOFT dampers / springs settings.

Of course you can get a D1 spec coilover kit with 10kg springs, set the dampers to one of the hardest settings and drive around with virtually no body roll. However, that is not what I call a good setup. I don't want to offend anybody running hard coilovers of course It's just not the right thing for the kind of driving I do... (i don't go to drift events often)

Because what I want in a good setup is as much traction as possible. So opinions may differ, but esp. on the S14 with more power than the hachi, traction becomes harder and harder to get..

On the s14 i run a pretty soft spring / damper combination (H&R + Koni). The combo works really well for the type of driving i'm doing (alot in the mountains, streets, autocross and occasional track). The stabilizer bars were one of the best investments I've done to the s14 suspension. It helped a great amount in terms of Turn-in, reduced body roll and general stability without compromising traction.

All the other mods like fresh bushings, lots of strenghtend suspension arms, harder rear axle subframes and struts only were slightly noticable compared to the immense change in driveability the stabilizer bars offered.

Note that I think it's important to change the sway bars AND the sway bar end links, at least on the s14. Thicker sway bars on stock Links also work, but we made the obvervation that the stock links are quickly worn out when using thicker sway bars.

well, just my 2 (long) cents.


edit: since there seems to be a confusion in the posts below: I am talking about ANTI ROLL BARS / Sway Bars / Stabilizer bars (all the same thing)

The s14 also has various other struts (see strut braces) installed to increase chassis rigitidy but these only made a insignificant effect on overall handling compared to the sway bars.

Oh and for the record: I installed cusco strut braces front and back on my hachi. Their effect is only slightly noticable. (like, a barely noticable decrease in roll and slightly slightly better turn in characteristic.. really very subtle.)